Lubeznik Center for the Arts (LCA) invites the public to celebrate the new mural titled "La Portal," painted on the La Porte County Public Library (LPCPL) Exchange Building this summer. Please join us on Friday, October 4 at 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Central. The celebration will take place in the Reading Wi-Fi Garden at the La Porte County Main Library. Refreshments will be provided. 

At the celebration, you will meet Alex Ann Allen, the talented artist who created the mural. There will also be remarks by Mayor Tom Dermody; La Porte County Library's Executive Director, Fonda Owens; Janet Bloch from LCA and Eric DeWald, president of the Health Foundation of La Porte (HFL) who funded the project.

The mural came about through a facilitation of public meetings by LCA, the library's staff and board, the artist and members of the community. Designed with the building's past and current use in mind, it was also influenced by the architecture of the building and the broader themes of creativity and innovation.

"HFL is thrilled to have funded the new mural on the side of the LPCPL Exchange. Many of our team and board members frequently drive north on Indiana Avenue, heading toward HFL, and watching the progress of the vibrant mural has been wonderful. Art has long been shown to positively affect the social determinants of health, or the non-medical factors that influence health outcomes. Creating and enjoying the arts helps promote holistic wellness, so HFL is happy to support LCA as it brings beautiful art for the entire community to enjoy," states Erica Kinney of HFL.

Alex Ann Allen also stated, "Painting this mural has been an amazing experience and making new friends in this community has brought me so much joy. My goal for this piece was to create something innovative that reflects the inspiration happening inside. I hope this mural brings joy to the LaPorte community for many years to come & inspires the creatives working inside, too."

"From the beginning of the renovation of the building, the Library knew that the exterior wall would be the perfect place for a mural but we were not sure how to make it happen. Then we were presented with an opportunity to work with LCA to get it done. We truly appreciate the support of the Health Foundation for funding the work. The community input into the design concept was invaluable. Alex Ann Allen is an astounding artist. This project has been a great example of what can happen when people come together to share ideas and think creatively to bring happiness to the community." – Fonda Owens, Executive Director of the La Porte County Library.